It's quite strange, actually. There were no issues with my sense of smell until I turned 16; I can still remember the day it happened.

A small group of grade 9s to 12s were in Europe for 10 days as part of a school trip— I worked the summer to pay half, my parents covered the other half. One location we visited was a literal smell factory.

They manufactured scents and a wide variety of aromatic treats, from chocolates to rose jams and more.

I can swear I could smell on the way in. Then our guide announced an absurd number of smells the pros can discern from one another, and ever since, no regular sense of smell!

I once loved the smells of manure and gasoline.

Nowadays, I count myself lucky to catch a moment of flower gardens, baked goods, or an evening fire in the neighbourhood. Manure and gas stations for some reason never make it through the mental block.

Sometimes I can trigger smells in my brain that aren't there, but the skill goes unpracticed.

I'm glad you asked lol